Write address above



(No Model.)

1?. G. MEAD.

POSTAL CARD.

No. 263,347. Patented Aug. 29, 1882.

USE THIS SIDE OF CARD F|R3T 1371 a 7n, m

UNITED STATES RESPONSE POSTAL GARD- WRITE ADDRESS ABOVEJ'IESSAGE BELOW.UNITED 3 &8 "UNA 0 7 4 U UNITED STATES RESPONSE P sTALcARu. WRITEADDRESS AaavE,Ms5Ace BELOW. UNITED 5 z V 4 m N. PETERS. Phum-Lnha n hu.Washington. n1).

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

FREDERICK G. MEAD, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

POSTAL-CARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,347, dated August29, 1882.

Application filed March 24, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. MEAD, ofNew York city, in the countyand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsrelating to Postal-Cards, of which the following is a specification.

My improved card is a return postal-card. The importance ofreturn-cards, which can be used first to convey the message direct, andthen to travel back to their place of starting and convey the response,hasbeen some years acknowledged, and many attempts have been made tomeet the want. I put the stamps on opposite faces of a single unfoldedcard, and provide a space for the message in either direction on a partof the same face which contains the address; but an area less than thewhole face of the card is provided on the reverse side for the returnaddress and message, and the surplus portion is removed before the cardis mailed on its return. The coupon or portion thus removed contains theaddress, which serves to threat the card on its outward journey. Thereduced area of the return-cards distinguishes them from the cards whichare making their outward journey. If the sender chooses to write in theproper address to facilitate the return, there can be no confusion,because the large size indicates plainly that it is the address on thecoupon or removable stub which is to control. On the return passagethere is but one address. Ordinarily there will be but one address onthe card in its outward journey. Always the address for the outwarddirection is removed by the removal of the stub or coupon before itsreturn. The por tionthus removed may be about one-quarter of the entirearea of the card. The invention will accommodate the public, avoid thediscomfort and complication due to folded cards, and relieve theofficials from any care in searching for canceling-marks or the like todetermine in which direction the card is to traverse.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents what I will termthe faceside of the complete card.Fig.2 represents the reverse side of the same. Fig. 1 shows a portion ofthe face side after the coupon or portion containing the address for theoutward journey has been removed. Fig. 2 similarly shows the reverseside. Fig. 3 shows a modification on a smaller scale. It shows a portionof the reverse side before the coupon is removed. In this figure thereverse side of the removable coupon is left nearly blank.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

The entire card, as manufactured, is composed of two areas, A A",separated by a distinct line, at m, which may be weakened byperforations, or by partially cutting off by any suitable process; butit is important that it be not so conditioned as to fold, but shallremain extended in the usage to which it is subjected in transportationand handling. The portion A may be of the exact dimensions common inordinary postal cards. The appended portion or coupon A may be of thesame length and of about one-third the width of A. One side of theentire card A A is available for use on the outgoing journey. The couponor portion A carries the stamp and the outgoing address. The portion Aon the same side earries the outgoing message. The back face of thecoupon A may, if thought desirable, be left blank for an additionalportion of the outgoing message, but I prefer that the back face of thecoupon be blackened or otherwise conditioned, so that it is notavailable for any purpose. The reverse face of the main portionA isalone available for the return journey. It is provided with a stamp forthe return journey, and its area is divided, a portion beingappropriated for the return address and stamp, and another portion ofthe same back face of the part A is alone available for the returnmessage. The coupon A is always to be removed before the card is mailedon its return journey. The presence or absence of the coupon Adetermines at once whether the card is on its outward or return journey.If the couthe face of the coupon A may be delicately tinted todistinguish it from the main body A, if desired. If the sizes determinedon are such that the portion A, which travels alone on the returnjourney, is of the same dimensions as an ordinary postal-card, and thecard is larger on its outgoing journey by the addition of the part A,the mails are required to carry the excess A in one direction only. Thiseffects an economy of transportation as compared with most of theprevious efi'orts in this direction. Unlike the folded cards employed bysome governments, my card, either in its full size or in its reducedarea, an be handled in the mails with the same facility as ordinarypostalcards. It will cost less to manufacture than the folded cards. Byprinting the stamp in a faint underlying color, and in such position onthe card that it is canceled by the written address on its face, thepost-ofiice depart ment is saved the labor of the cancellation of thestamps, and the stamp for the original or outgoing journey is furtherand fully canceled before the return journey by the tearing ofi of thecoupon. Tints if a large number of these cards are mailed together, asis often the case where postalcards are used for commercial purposes,much labor and time will be saved the post-oflice by avoiding thenecessity for especial cancellation of the stamp. I propose, inaddition, to print specih'e instructions thereon in regard to the use ofthese cards. The reverse side of the coupon or portion A may, ifpreferred, be made incapable of receiving ordinary writing by making itblack or a very deep color, or by cross-shading or otherwise obscuringit. In that case such let tering as may be required or desirable toimpart instructions may be left white thereon. Such may be useful toinsure against an ignorant person putting any important portion of thereturn message thereon. .In the exceptional cases, where this card isdeposited in the post-office for the return journey without the previousremoval of the coupon A, the rules may require the postmaster either toreturn to the sender or to remove the coupon A himself.

If preferred, the back of the portion A may be left white, with specificinstructions along the line m m that the portion above must be torn offbefore the card is used for the return message.

Modifications may be made in the details. The proportion of the coupon Ato the part A may be varied. The position of the stamps and their sizesand forms may be varied.

I esteem it practicable to have the coupon A at the end instead of thetop of the card. It is theoretically possible to remove the coupon by anoblique line, thus leaving the card A for the return journey in theirregular shape which would result ft om such oblique clipping; but Ipret'erthe form and proportions indicated.

The material need not be weakened along the line at at, when for anyreason it is preferred to retain the full strength and stiffness of thecard throughout.

I claim as my invention- A return postal-card in a plain form, with aremovable coupon, A, having the address and stamp for the outgoingjourney on such coupon, and with the stamp and place for the address forthe return journey on the reverse side of the main part A, all adaptedto serve substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at New York city, this23d day of March, 1882, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK G. MEAD.

Witnesses:

A. E. FIRMIN, B. E. D. STAFFORD.

